One way to motivate our child to learn, is to provide the reason why. And one effective way is to provide this reason in tangible and concrete way is by making a small experiment, showing the difference between our brain when we are young (like a sponge) and when we are old (like a hard rubber ball).
Materials:
1. 1 bowl with water (representing knowledge)
2. 1 hard rubber ball (representing the adult's brain)
3. 1 sponge (representing the child's brain)
4. 2 empty plates (representing the storage in the brain for knowledge and skills)
5. 1 tray (optional)
Directions:
1. Get the material ready as shown in picture.
2. Soak the sponge in the bowl of water.
3. Squeeze the water out of the sponge into 1 plate and explain that the sponge is like the brain of a young child, it can absorb and learn a lot, as seen by the large amount of water collected in the plate
4. Soak the hard rubber ball into the bowl of water.
5. Squeeze the water out from the rubber ball into the other plate and explain that the hard rubber ball is like the brain of an adult, it cannot absorb and learn so much, as seen by the little bit of water collected in the plate.
Our Little FECS sometimes asked, why do we have to need to learn so many things, when his friends don't need to learn anything? Why can't we just play? It takes effort to learn to write the Chinese characters. It takes effort to practise the piano. And why can't we just learn one thing, instead of so many things?
We need to explain to our child the reason why, but I am not very good at it. My Mr. FECS came up with this idea and came to my rescue. He made an experiment with our Little FECS and explain to him why it is important to love learning, especially when one is young.
1. Daddy explained that the reason why we should start young and learn is because our brain is like a sponge when we are young. We can absorb more when we learn things as a child. When we only start to learn things, when we are old, our brain is like a hard rubber ball, it does not absorb as much. So it is important that we spend our time on learning a skill, when we are young. It is much easier to learn things when we are young.
For example, at this age, our Little FECS learns Chinese relatively easily, compared to Daddy. When Daddy learns Chinese, we do not see the results very much.
2. Daddy explained that another reason why we need to learn many different things, and it is because it helps us to learn other things. For example, when we learn to play the piano, it helps in our learning of Maths as well. When we learn to play football, it helps our brain to be ready to learn other things as well.
Our Little FECS has a better understanding on the purpose of learning now, though it will definitely takes repetition :-)
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